Dleditch



(No Model.)

A. S. LYMAN.

GARTRIDGB.

atente dJune 30, 1885.,

' enable others skilled in the art to which it ap-` pertains to make anduse the same.

The invention relates to eartridges for large Io- AznL s'ronns LYMAN, OFNEW YORK, AssIGNoR 'rol'LivrNGsron MID- DLnDI'roH, or BnooKLYN, N. Y.

eAnTm Dee.

SPECIFIATIO fornaing part of Letters Patent No. 321,3'74.-, dated .Tune30, 1885. Application med January 26,1885. (no model.)

To alt whom it may concern: ,4

Be it known that I, `AZEL S. LYMAN, of the city, county,-and State ofNew York,.have invented 'certain new and 'useful Improvements inCartridges, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, and will guns.

Theobject'of the invention is to so construct the cartridges used insuch guns that when they are firstignited the fire-surface of theexplosive material will be comparatively small and the maximum pressuredeveloped correspondingly low, and so that the fire-area will soincrease as to maintain the maximum pressure substant-ially uniform uponthe projectile until the powder is about all consu'med,

the effect being to start -the projectile easily and slowly, andcommunicate to it a rapidlyincreasing motion throughout the entire boreof the gun, thus relieving the walls of the gun from the sndden andheavy strain that is necessarily exerted upon them when-as with thecommon forms of powder and `'cartridges---the fire-surface is greatestat' the moment of ignition, and when, consequently, a lvery high maximumpressure is suddenly developed before theinertia of the heavy shot hasbeen v paekedin a dense solid mass or cake within The invention'consists in a cartridge'composedof powder or other explosive material ashell 'or case which protects its 4outer surface, or its outer surfaceand rear end,,the cake of powder being pierced by holes runninglongitudinally through it from end to` end; and it also consists `inpiercing the head head so that the holes can com-1 Beferring to theseviews in detail, A is the chamber of the gun, B is the breech-blockwhich holds the cartridge in place, and O is a wedge for securing thebreech-block, which parts, it is to be understood, may be of anysuitable construction. D is the cartridge shell or case, andE is thepowder-cake, packed or otherwise placed in the shell, with its outercylindrical and rear end surfaces protected from the action of fire bythe shell and the head F of the shell. G represents longitudinal holesrhnning through the powder-cake from end to end, and also through the'head of .the cartridge. H is a firing-tubepassing centrally through thepowder-cake, and designed to conv-cy front end of the cake. rearwardlyfrom the cartridgehead, and bears against the breech-block, therebyseparating the car'tridlge-head from the breech-block, and leaving aspace, I, between them. The cartridge-head isalso located somewhatwithin the shell, so that the shell may bear upon. the breech-block, asshown.

To fire the cartridge, a flame is forced down the igniting-fiame to the.

This tube projeets lthe firing-tube and ignltes the front end of i thepowder-cake and ilashes hack down the perforations in the powder-cake",surfaces of all the holes'at the same instant. The fire-surfaces at thismoment are comparatively small, and. ingly low; but as the burningproceeds ,in a i'adial direction the holes in the powder-cake becomeeonstantl y enlarged and the fire-area continuously increases, as alsodoes the pressure upon the projectile, and the dead inertia of theprojectile is gradually and slowl)T overcome. After the projectile hasbeen started from its seat and as it passes through the gun the pressureexerted upon it 'is substantially maintained by reason of thecontinuously-extending fire-area, and this continues until thepowder-cake issubstantially all consumed, it being the design toconstruct the cartridge so that 'the powder will be all consunied beforethe projectile reaches the end of the bore. In this way a comparativelylow maximum pressure may be substantially maintained upon the projectilefor the greater part or the whole of i the time it is passing throughthe barrel of the igniting the 80 i the pressure is correspond-` gun,the effect being to relieve the walls of the .gun from' dangerous`strains, and to give the projectile a greater Velocity and effectivepower thanis accomplished by cartridges of common construction.

The particular object of the chamber I behind the cartridge-head is topermit the perforations through the powder-cake to communicate with oneanother to insure their being instantly and simultaneously ignitedthroughout their whole extent. Thus if these holes were closed at theirrear ends they might possibly become more or less filled with gases uponthe first flash of ignition, which would tend to prevent their entiresurfaces being instantly ignited, and thereby prevent the intendeduniformity of the radial burning and increase of burning-surface alongthe whole length `of each hole; but when these holes 'open into a commonspace, as shown, they cannot become so filled or obstructed, and theirentire surfaces are. simultaneously and instantly ignited, and theprogress of the radial burning is practically the same in all parts ofthe powder-cake.

The distanceof the perforations in the pow-v der-cake 'from each otherdetermines the time of the burning of the cartridge, and this distanceshould be proportionate toy the length of the gun. The holes should meetsome time before the projectile reaches the end of the' 'bore. When thewalls of the powder-cake shell; but the powder-cake may be formedareburned through, the burning of the then remaining fragments may raisethe pressure slightly; but the space into which the burning gases expandhas now become so large and the rapid onward movement of the shotincreases itso rapidly that such increase in pressure is not material.

The powder is preferably packed in the shell while in a soft or plasticstate, and allowed to dry and harden in the cartridgeoutside of theshell and afterward inserted therein. It isessential that thepowder-cake be hard and dense, so that the fire cannot penetrate intoit, but will burn only on its surfaces-that is, as distinguished fromcakes made-of granular powder,which, though solid in form,'aregrannlarfiin structure and burn in all directions through their mass.

,It is proposed to ignite the powder in the manner described; but it isquite possible-an d in some cases may be found more desi-rable-to igniteit by throwing igniting-flames along the .holes from the rear end of thecake. Iln such .case, of course, the central firing-t'ube shown in Fig.1 would not be required, and some form of priminig material snitablyarra'nged at the rea'r of the cartridge might be used. So, too,thefiring of the charge might be accomplished from its front end'inotherways than that shown. I'do not, therefore, contine myself to anyparticular vway or means for igniting the cartridge. 'It will be seenbytheforegoi'ng description thatlthe pressure exerte'd in a given gunand with a given projectile may be varied by altering the form otf thepowder-cake; and I am aware that it is possible with this kind ofcartridge to get a pressure that shall continuously increase from thetime of ignition till the holes in the cartridge are burned through; butthis is' not regarded as either economical or safe or the most efficientmanner of generating the pressure. It is the present intention to havethe maximum pressure reached as quickly as is safe and practical, andthen to maintain this maximum pressure through the greater length xofthe bore, when (by the burning through. and disrupting of thepowder-walls) there maybe a slightiincrease in the pressure and then aslight gradual running down thereof till the ball leaves the gun;

Fig. 3 illustrates a modified form of cartridge for very large guns, inwhich there are there is a central firing-tube, as before. Fig.

4 shows a number of small cylinders, L, each charged with apowder-cakev` having a single perforation, and all packed solidly withinthe large or exterior sh'ell, D. Fig. 5 shows large and small interiorcylinders, M land N, packed solidly within the exterior shell, and eachhaving one or 'more perforations,according to their size. Theconstruction of the cartridge may be varied to a still greater extent;but the forms shown suffice to illustrate how in practice the inventiorimay assume difi'ercnt forms. 4

'I do not propose herein to claim, broadly, a cartridge consisting of apowder-cake packed in a shell and perforated by a single hole, in orderthat .the fire-snrface may 'continuously increase from the moment ofignition until the combustion is completed,'as this forms the subject ofanother application for Letters Patent filed by me on the 8th day ofSeptember, 1884,

and numbered 142,476, (Case B.) The cartridge shown in said applicationis provided with but. one hole or perforation, and is speciall ydesigned for small-arms. For large guns acartridge madeon this planwould not serve the purpose of the invention as well as the forms hereindescribed, and this is because the proper rate of increase of thefire-area cannot be had with a single perforation, but can be had with anumber of perforations; nor do I claim herein the use of a cartridgehaving a perforated cake. of powder, as this forms the subject of apending application filed by me December 29, 1884, and numbered 151,420,

(Case O;) nor the use of a cartridge depending,

broadl y, upon' a con tinually-increasing fire-su rface, as this forms.the subject of a pending application'filed by me April 20, 1885, and

numbered 162,758,- (Case D.)'

What is claimedl as new isioo IIO-

IIS

' 1. A cartridge consist-ing of .a shell charged with a solid cake ofpowder or other explosive 'through material: having longitudinal holesv4,running it from end to end, and protected by said Shell from theaction of fire upon its outer surface, substantially as and for thepurpose Set forth.` i w 2. A cartridge consisting of a Shell chargedwith solid cakes of powder or other explosive material packed in theshell and extending from end to end of the Shell, and each provided withone or more holes piercing them longi`= tudinallyrand being protectedfrom the action i of fire upon their outer surfaces, as and forthepurpose set forth.

3. A `Cartridge consisting of a Shell eharged` with a solid cake ofpowder, which is protected from the action of fire upon its outersurface by said Shell, and at itS-rear end by the head of the shell,said cake and thehead of the Shell p being pierced by-longitudinalholes, as and for Y 20 the purpose Set forth.

4. A Cartridge consisting of a Shell oharged withpa. solid cake ofpowder. pierced from end to end by holes extending also through the headof the cartridge, the oartridgebeingprovided with a projection extendingrearwardly and adapted to bear against the gun,and thereby form an openspace back of the head of the cartridge, as and for the purpose setforth.

5. A cartridge consisting of a Shell'oharged with a solid cake of powderpieroed from end 'to end by holeS extending also through thecartridge-hea'd, and provided with a firing-tube 'arranged to direct the'igniting-flame to the front end of the powder-cake, purpose set forth.

AZEL STORRS LYMAN.

as and for the Witnesses:

T. J. KEANE, R. F. GAYLORD.

